ABSTRACT
The organizing principle for this panel was to bring together educators representing three distinctly different programs: a transitional bilingual education program in a large urban district; a two-way Program; and an English immersion Program. In order to improve education for language-minority students, bilingual program directors cannot work alone. They must be proactive members of the school department's administrative team and engage everyone in the discussion of bilingual program development. Amigos is our longest implemented, integrated bilingual education program and the one for which we have conducted longitudinal research. While bilingual staff should understand the academic goals of the schools and incorporate them into their curricula regardless of the language of instruction, administration and other staff should recognize the bilingual program's goals and support its approach to education. Bilingual schools and two-way bilingual programs integrate students by design because such programs include English speakers as well as speakers of other languages.
